There Are ‘Tents Made Of Desks’ In Steubenville Where Children Are ‘Puking And Peeing Their Pants’ In Fear

Those of you following the Steubenville gang rape case may have caught the Dr. Phil show yesterday that featured Alexandria Goddard, the blogger that brought worldwide attention to the case. Now Alex, we all like you and think you’ve done a great job, but the real star of the Dr. Phil program yesterday was a concerned mother by the name of Jill who was there with her son Jeno to “stand up for the good kids of Steubenville and wants people to pull people at their lowest up.” I have no idea what she means by “pulling people up.” Because the only person who really need to be pulled up by “positivity” in the Steubenville rape case if the victim, but Jill thinks maybe the victim isn’t telling the truth.

I can fully get behind Jill in saying that there are good kids who reside in Steubenville who had nothing to do with this case, kids who weren’t even at the party, kids who are appalled with the allegations of rape at a party that took place last summer. I can see where a parent of a high school kid who lives in Steubenville might be a bit concerned over all of the media attention this case is getting. But what I can’t understand is if there is really a “tent city” constructed from desks where kids are puking and urinating on themselves why isn’t an adult of some sort stepping in to inform these kids that it’s time to sit back down and maybe have a bathroom break? I can’t be the only person who found these claims amazingly absurd. Jill claims that there have been death threats made against students, but the only threats have been made against Sheriff Abdalla, and the validity of these threats seem bizarre because they stated:

“They said they were going to murder my family and rape my daughters,” he said.

Maybe it’s just me, but I think the majority of people really upset about a rape case aren’t going to threaten to rape anyone. I think the end goal is to get justice for the victim and raise rape and rape culture awareness, so raping someone in retaliation sounds a bit suspicious to me.

Although Dr. Phil made some good points in the segment, there was a lot of veiled and blatant victim-blaming and the only person I felt who really understood the situation was Robin Sax, a sex crimes specialist. It’s true that none of us, and by us I mean the general public, fully know what transpired that night, but the only person I feel needs our full support is the Jane Doe was allegedly raped.

But as a mom, I sure do wish Jill or someone would get those kids out from under that desk city and bathe them and tell them that everything is okay.

‘I think the end goal is to get justice for the victim and raise rape and rape culture awareness’ . Totally agree, this is what every decent person wants, enough of the victim blaming, take responsibility for your children and their actions, let’s hope the desk city children recover and realize everything IS okay!.

None

Commenting on or writing for Mommyish does not make one an activist. I also have a graduate degree from an Ivy League religious studies program. No one thinks there is a universal truth.

jwyoming

This woman was totally out of it. Incoherent for most of her rant and absolutely refusing to listen or unable to comprehend any point of view but hers. I think the main point was lost. The football team got special privileges and they extended it to rape. She is afraid it will damage her son’s chances to get a football scholarship. The evidence she refuses to confront just rants on and on about nothing.

None

Is the trial over? I thought these were all allegations until the accused were found guilty? I’m also confused as to how the entire town is responsible for the actions of a few people. Why are people watching Dr. Phil?

Teena

This woman was totally overtaken by her emotions, rambling, and incoherent. I’m pretty sure that she heard Ms. Sax say, “I’m gonna jump all over you for what you said…” to her son and just shut down and didn’t hear anything further of what Sax had to say. Which was pretty darn important–the woman’s son, a football player, said he believed that his friend couldn’t possibly have committed rape because it wasn’t “in his character”–and Sax correctly pointed out that the perceived “character” isn’t an accurate way to measure whether someone committed rape.

I agree with Jill trying to defend her son (in part because her son is probably not the best, most quick-thinking, articulate teen to represent on television) and to tell Sax to tone it down and back off–but there was a huge problem in her rant, which was that as a parent, your job isn’t to “support” your kids when they’re just plain wrong. And the problem that made ME shudder watching is that somehow, Jemo ACTUALLY thinks that because HE finds his friend a “nice guy” then that’s perfectly fine logic. That kind of thinking is pretty dangerous. In any rape case, the “character” of the defendant is as relevant as the “character” of the accused.

welldoneson

Was anyone actually raped? Does anyone realize how stupid they look referring to a “rape culture” or a “gun culture”? Why must you tiresome activists try to make it look like you’re pursuing some universal truth? In fact, most of you are part of the problem.

CMJ

Um, rapists are the problem. People who rape = problem. Huge one.

Objective eye

WOW. Lots of judges in here! Perhaps it’s not exactly wise to blindly stand for someone’s character who is being accused of rape, as even Ted Bundy was a charmer. Jeno has faith in his friends, and is trying to stand up for what he believes, which his mother taught him to do, and so she is supporting him in that. Not only that, but you people don’t really know what’s going on there. I guess if it’s not on CNN, NBC, FOX, etc., it just hasn’t happened, huh? Jill was very emotional on NATIONAL TELEVISION (many of us would be just as nervous), but she knew EXACTLY what she was talking about. Innocent children and adults are being threatened, random people wearing the school colors are being harassed and attacked, and people are living in fear.

Desk cities?? You laugh, but you don’t know why she said these things. City schools were placed on lockdown for threats made (considering the recent tragedy at Sandy Hook, I’m sure officials took this quite seriously, and you’d want your children’s school officials to take action as well). At the elementary/ middle schools, desks were pushed to a corner to serve as a barricade and children were instructed to get under them to shield them from potential gunshots or blasts (an understandable move). Jill knows first hand that during this lockdown, these children were not allowed to leave the room, of course (keep in mind, these kids are aware of the recent Sandy Hook tragedy). Frightened children were vomiting, others couldn’t hold their bladders and urinated on themselves. Oh… but no one is reporting or blogging about THAT either!! It’s so easy to pass judgement about something you know nothing about, isn’t it?

http://www.facebook.com/amanda.leigh.3576224 Amanda Leigh

Well maybe she should check her son cause i just read her sons name mentioned in tweets that he had with some of the people involved. One of the tweets said F%^k the Bi^ch. Sounding like he knew a little more than he let on.